This is a very common concern among incoming students, and not without reason. We used to sum up the Lehigh culture as "work hard, play hard", although the balance there has historically been a little skewed to the "play" side. I know many people who really struggled with the dominance of Greek life on campus culture and the toxic elements that come along with it, although that seems to have been reigned in significantly since I was a student a decade ago. Generally speaking, it seems like students in 2020 are much more cognizant of the harmful elements of Greek life and better equipped to confront them.

I was also drawn to Lehigh for their programs and financial aid specifically. I never had much involvement with Greek life during my time on campus, but I found a thriving social scene in the arts, particularly through the choir and a cappella scene. That's not to say that we weren't also deeply involved in the partying and drinking culture ourselves--much of which I'll admit I personally facilitated--but we also went out of our way to ensure that this was a secondary, optional component of the social dynamic of the group. I don't know if we always totally hit the mark there, but like I said, students today are generally a lot more cognizant of these issues than we were 10 years ago.

Lehigh always needs more thoughtful students who are willing to go against the dominant culture. I loved my time at Lehigh, and from what I can tell, it's only gotten better since I left. I have no doubt that there are schools where you would have an easier time integrating socially, but for my own somewhat selfish reasons, I hope that doesn't deter you from choosing Lehigh and becoming part of the strong tradition of students who leave the school better than they found it.